Elijah Chatman leans on two-way versatility to vie for Giants’ 53-man roster

Elijah Chatman is betting that doing a little bit of everything will be enough to get him back on the New York Giants’ active roster.

Cut in the club’s surprising trim from 90 to 53 players last week, Chatman was re-signed to the practice squad and could be elevated for Sunday’s opener against the Washington Commanders. The undrafted rookie turned heads in the preseason by lining up on both sides of the ball, returning to his SMU roots as he alternated between defensive tackle and short-yardage/fullback duties.

"He does what he does," Chatman said with a laugh when asked about comparisons to high-profile two-way rookies. "I'm going to do what I can do." The comment came as Chatman acknowledged the attention paid to two-way play around the league while stressing his focus on making the roster by showing versatility.

Chatman, who appeared in limited regular-season duty as an undrafted rookie last year, played roughly 38 percent of the Giants’ defensive snaps in 2024. His willingness to take handoffs and line up as a fullback during the preseason was an effort to expand his value to a club that trimmed its roster aggressively. The move to work on offense while remaining a defensive lineman helped keep him on coaches’ short list despite his release.

The matchup against Washington provides a near-term possibility for Chatman to return to game-day status. The Giants have used the practice squad to provide depth in recent seasons, and teams commonly elevate players to fill short-term needs created by injuries or game-plan matchups. A successful elevation and showing could force the organization to reconsider where Chatman fits on future cut-down days.

Two-way players are rare in today’s NFL, and the league has seen increased attention to athletes who can contribute in multiple roles. Chatman’s preseason snaps on offense and defense were more extensive than some of the more-publicized two-way experiments this summer, a point underscored by observers who noted he started games on both sides while other rookies who have drawn two-way headlines did not. For a player on the roster bubble, that kind of flexibility can be the difference between staying on the practice squad and earning an active roster spot.

The Giants’ decision to release Chatman in the final cut was described by some inside the building as surprising, given his preseason usage and prior regular-season snaps. Still, the move to the practice squad allows the team to keep him in-house while evaluating other signings and how the Week 1 roster holds up through the opening games.

Chatman’s path to an everyday role is not just about versatility at the line of scrimmage. Special teams play often represents the most reliable route for reserve defenders and hybrid players to carve out roster spots. While Chatman’s preseason work included offensive snaps, his previous season’s defensive playing time and willingness to contribute in short-yardage offensive packages give him a twofold argument for inclusion: immediate depth on the defensive front and an additional option in goal-line or short-yardage situations.

Giants coaches have emphasized roster flexibility this summer, prioritizing players who can fill multiple roles. That approach shapes decisions in training camp and into the regular season as teams seek to cover potential injuries without expending multiple roster spots for situational specialists. Chatman’s combination of defensive experience and occasional fullback work aligns with that philosophy and explains why the Giants kept him close on the practice squad rather than parting ways entirely.

For Chatman personally, the offseason and preseason represented a learning curve and an opportunity to expand his professional résumé. He has shown the capacity to switch mental gears between two very different assignments within the same game plan: the physical, gap-oriented responsibilities of an interior defensive lineman and the blocking and ball-security focus required of a short-yardage fullback. Coaches often reward that sort of coachability and adaptability when they look to fill the back end of the 53-man roster.

The Giants open the regular season with questions at multiple positions, and depth along the defensive front will be important over a long campaign. How the team manages its active roster in the first weeks — whether by elevating practice-squad players like Chatman or making additional acquisitions — will signal how much immediate trust the staff places in his two-way experiment.

Chatman’s immediate goal is straightforward: earn repeated game-day elevations that lead to a permanent spot. For the Giants, keeping him on the practice squad preserves a player who has proven he can absorb diverse roles and step into the rotation when called upon. The coming days will determine whether his preseason versatility translates into a sustained role when the regular season begins.

If Chatman is elevated for Sunday, he will get a chance to show whether the preseason’s two-way outings were more than an intriguing footnote. A solid showing could hasten a return to the active roster; conversely, limited snaps would likely extend his stay on the practice squad while the Giants monitor injuries and roster performance. Either way, Chatman’s situation highlights how the modern NFL values positional flexibility as teams trim rosters and prepare for the attrition of a long season.